The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1887-11-24
SWEEPING CARPETS.
I Household Duty Whose importance
shonId Not BE Undertaking tod.

y
should Not BE Cnd.restiIMated.
There is no part OF the Homework
hat il A. exhausfing to the housewife
IS the sweeping Of carpets, and, to the
majority. sweeping day is the most
dreaded of all days of the week. On
ibis day, in most houses, the rule is to
commence at the top, and sweep. each
.oom iii order, to the bottom Of the
aollse. Once week each room in the
house must receive thorough sweep
ne. whether it really needs it or not.
chamber that is occupied but a few
tours in the day and night does not
'eguire to be swept as often as the
,amily sitting-room, which is in con-
stan, use; yet it receives thorough
sweeping each week, the same as the
much used family-room. Every thing
must be removed from it and
he carpet thoroughly brushed.
There is no necessity, unless the
chamber is used very much. of sweep
ing it thoroughly oftener than once
month. To be sure, where there are
children, there is, usually, more sweep
me- to be done than where the room is
occupied by adults, owing to the litter
gha the little ones make. from paper,
bits of cloth, etc.. although they may
BIZ IN the room but five minutes. A
slight brushing once week is all a
chamber needs. and for this kind Of
work good carpct-swecper is much
better than broom. although f,.r
sweeping thoroughly. the broom st
stands al the head of all other invell-
ions. For a slight brushing Of tapes
Try. Brussels Or any Of tie heavy grades
ot carpet, the carpet-swcepcr does tie
work as well, is less fatiguing to use
than the broom, and raises but very
little dust. For the latter reason it is
useful for an occasional
Of room in which are many
small ornaments. as they need not be
removed, and this, alone, will save a
good many steps and considerable
lime.
To sweep room thoroughly, all
articles that can be conveniently re-
moved take into another room. Cover
up all ornaments and furniture re-
in the room. roll up the cur
tains rs far as they will go. close all
the doors and open the windows. II
the wind is strong and blows into the
room, it will be necessary TO open the
windows at the top only Take Indian
meal and dampen it SO that it will adj
here nicely together, but be sure that
it is not too wet. Test it by squeezing
1t tightly in the hand, and if every
particle is damp SO that it clings to-
gether. and yet no water can be
,que' zed from it, it is ready for use.
Scatter it all over the carpet, using
plenty Of it. and being careful not to
step on it when sweeping, as it may
m Ike IN ugly spot. With a good
broom commence TO sweep ut one
corner and work toward the door
going out some aver that you
should sweep with the wind.
but rs this is usually done to
carry off the dust, there is no
reason for this rule applying
where the Indian meal is used proper
~. as it gathers up the dust, leaving
Very little to rise and settle any where.
After the room has been swept thor
oughly, take up the meal and dust in
IA dustpan. Never brush the sweep
ings of any room into the entry or
another room, but take up each rooms
sweepings separately. Close the door
after taking up the swcepings, and al
low what little dust there may be to
settle before busting any thing. Co
ing over the carpet with cloth or
sponge wrung out tightly of ammonia
water. rinsing it often. will brighten
the colors, but unless the carpet is very
dirty the meal will do the work very
well. To be sure, where there are any
grease spots, the meal will have no
effect on them. and the ammonia is
just the thing. Saturate the spots
with pure ammonia. and rinse off with
clear water. Tnis usually succeeds
in removing them. Some prefer
to encase the broom in damp
cloth when sweeping, claiming that
it does not raise any dust. This is
very good plan for an invalid's room.
and in this case can not be too highly
recommended, but for living-room it
is not good. In the first place, the
corners and along the walls the carpet
must be swept with dry broom. for
if not. every where the damp broom
touches on the paint, after being on
the carpets will make a muddy streak,
which will neeessitatc wiping of the
mop-boards after sweeping. Then,
unless the cloth is taken off and rinsed
often, the damp dust becomes mud,
and must Of necessity be worked
back into the carpet. There are other
objections, and on the whole the plan
is not good one even for ghf'sweep-
ing. A carpet swept in this way will
look dull and muddy. and though il
may keep the dust from settling on the
furniture, it will in short while ruin
the carpet as far as looks are con.
cerned. Too promiscious sweeping OF
the carpet should not be INDUCED in,
TOR it wears out both the carpet and
housewife. Boston Budget.